Reactance element control



Nov. 16, 1937. F. METZGER REACTANCE ELEMENT CONTRQL Filed Dec. 6, 1935' Figl.

Inventor": Friedrich Metzger, by M MMJM His Attorney.

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REACTANCE ELEMENT CONTROL Friedrich Metzger,

Berlin-Tempelhoi, Germany,

asslgnor to General Electric Company, a cor poration of New York 7 Claims My invention relates to reac ance element contrc'i and more particularly to the automatic control of the coupling between an alternating current circuit and a reactance element by means of harmonics By reactance element I mean either a capactive reactance element or an inductive reactance element Capacitive reactance elements are electri condensers which are commonly referred to n the art as capacitors when they are static devices so as to distinguish them from non-static eiectric condensers such, for example as synh oncus condensers. Inductl e reactance eleare commonly referred to in the art as reactors, and may be either of the air core type or th type having a magnetic core, which mag netic core may either be saturable or unsaturable and if saturable either self-sa urable by a ternating current flux or separately saturable L by means of a direct current saturating winding.

Such reactance elements are coupled to alternating current circuits for a wide variety of rea ons By the term coupled I mean either conductively coupled, as by an ordinary direct electrical connection inductively coupled, as by a transformer, or capacitively coupled as by can of a coupling capacitor, and this coupling n1? their be such as to produce a series circuit let in between the element and the circuit or u or parallel circuit relation between theand the circuit With capacitors for they may be connected in series in alter hating current transmission and distribution cirso as to neutralize the inductive reactance of such. circuits thereby improving the voltage regulation and increasing the power limits of systems or they may be connected lei with such circuits for the purpose of the power factor of such circuits ay be connected either in series with g current circuits so as to limit the therein, for retarding current surges controlling the current therein, may be connected in parallel with such r various regulating purposes It is .eil known that the ohmic impedance value of an inductive reactance element changes in proportion to changes in the frequency of the current therein while the ohmic impedance value 59 of a capacitive reactance element changes inrer. h: with changes in the frequency of the t therein In many alternating current the wave form of the potential varies I cly widely from almost sinusoidal to 5 shapes which are quite far from sinusoidal. The

non sinusoidal wave hapes are caused by the presence of harmonics whi h are f actional or multiple frequen y components of the main fundamental frequency wave These harmonics being of a different frequency from the funda- 5 mental frequency often cause ob ectionable and even dangerous operating conditions in the reactance elements As an example of a situation where harmonics may affect the intended operation, consider a shunt capacitor installation for power factor improvement. Such capacitors are manufactured for a given rated normal voltage, but obviously some permissible range of safe operation above this normal rated voltage must be allowed for 5 so that for example such a capacitor may be designed and constructed so that it will not operate without injurious overloading or over-heatmg if the voltage a p ied to its terminals is above the rated normal voltage The usual way of protecting such a capacitor against objectionably high over voltages 15 by means of a switch or circuit breaker which is tripped open in re" sponse to current in the capacitor which is higher than that which would be produced by the normal line voltage, it being assumed that the voltage is substantially sinusoidal n wave :"orm, Such an arrangement operates satisfactorily under normal conditions. At light load however. the circuit may be energized by relatively old generators which have poor voltage wave shape cont ining marked higher frequency harmonics. These higher frequency harmonics produce an increase in current in the capacitor which is out of proportion to a change in the effective or root mean-square *alue of the alternating potential. Under certain circumstances it may be undesirable, however, to have the circuit breaker trip in response to the harmonic currents but if the current etting of the tripping means for the circuit breaker is adjusted so as not to cause tripping in response to the harmonic currents then the setting will be relatively insensitive to voltage magnitude changes of the fundamental and the proper protection will not be secured under normal conditions. Accordingly, I may provide harmonic responsive means for automatically raising the setting of the tripping means for the circuit breaker so that the breaker will not be tripped in response to the harmonic currents but when these harmonic currents disappear'the set ting of the breaker is restored to normal so that proper protection is secured for voltage variations of fundamental frequency.

On the other hand it may be desirable to have the breaker tripped in response to these harmonic currents in which case the harmonics responsive means may be made to lower the setting of the tripping means for the circuit breaker. In this manner the capacitor will be protected against overloading due to voltage changes of the fundamental frequency and will also be protected against overloading due to harmonics of higher frequency.

From another point or view it will sometimes be desirable to disconnect the shunt capacitor from the circuit automatically at no load. This is because at no load there is little or no lagging inductive current for the'capacitor to neutralize and hence the load on the circuit is largely made up or the power factor correcting capacitor which then draws a resultant leading current through the circuit inductive reactance thereby causing a voltage rise in the circuit from the generator out to the point where the capacitor is connected in shunt to the circuit. This rise above normal voltage may not be as great as the normal variation in voltage but when added to the maximum value oi. the variable voltage the total voltage may be objectionable However, it will be impractical to utilize voltage responsive means to disconnect the capacitor at light load for the voltage variation at light load, as pointed out above may not be any greater than the normal voltage variations. Consequently, the fact that harmonics appear at light-load may be. utilized to perform this disconnecting function.

An obiect of my invention is to provide a new and novel reactance element control arrangement Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement for controlling a reactance element in accordance with harmonics.

A further object of my invention is to provide automatic means in response to harmonics for controlling the coupling either in whole or in part between the reactance element and an alter-neting current circuit.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of an embodiment oi my invention and Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate modifications thereof.

In Fig. l of the drawing there is shown a threephase alternating current circuit i having connected thereto a shunt capacitor .2 in the in of a mesh connected three-phase unit. Qapacitor .2 is coupled to the circuit i by means of a circuit breakert for making and breamng the electrical connection between the circuit 5 and the capacitor 2. The circuit breaker 3 is normally closed and is provided with any suitable tripping means for opening it. As shown, this means may consist of a latch t which, when the lower end thereof 5 .is moved downwardly, releases and allows a spring 6 to open the breaker. The latch 4 is tri'gsiped by means of current responsive elements in the form of thermally deformable members I which are heated by the current in the phase conductors supplying the capacitor and which,

- when heated to a certain point, bend enough to engage levers 8 fastened to a shaft 9 which then will be rotated in such a manner as to cause another lever it to press downwardly against the lower end 5 of the latch 6.

With such an arrangement changes in the voltage of circuit i will cause changes in the current taken by the capacitor 2 and these changes in current will cause variable amounts or heating in the elements I which are so callbrated that ii the current exceeds a certain value corresponding to a certain maximum safe voltage rise above normal, the circuit breaker will be tripped open. For example, if the rate of sale continuous loading of the capacitor corresponds to loading at 100% applied voltage, then an increase in voltage of 15% will, if the voltage wave is substantially sinusoidal, cause an increase in current of 15% thereby causing an inwa e were sinusoidal. Under some circumstances it may be desirable to lower the setting oi the breaker during these conditions and under other circumstances it may be desirable to raise the setting. Either one of thee objects may be accomplished in a number of diiferent WEZIVL'E'. For example, the lever ill may be a bimetallic memeher which, when heated bends so to move its right-hand end either upwardly as in Fig. l or downwardly as in Fig. 2. A heating windin il may be wound on the bimetallic lever it and this winding may be connected between two of the conductors supplying the capacitor through a second capacitor i2. With such an arrangemen: the current in the heating winding ii will be "ensitive to harmonics in the supply voltage for the same reason that the capacitor 2 is sensi tive to the harmonics. Therefore, increases in the harmonics of the supply circuit will increase the heating eifect of the winding i i and thm heating effect may be made to cause the rightdiand end of the lever it to move either upwardly or downwardly. if it moves upwardly it raises the current setting of the circuit breaker 3, while it it moves downwardly it lowers the current set ting. That is to say, when thecurrent setting is raised it requires a higher current for the breaker to be tripped and when the current setting is lowered it requires a lower current for the circuit hrealrer to be tripped. iis has been explained previously, there are certain times when one of these. operations is preferable and there are other times when the opposite operation is preferable. The setting may also be lowered so much that the breaker is tripped substantially solely in response to the presence of harmonics.

If it is desired to eliminate substantially the efiect of changes in the amplitude of the fundamental frequency wave of the voltage the capacitor i2 and the heating winding i i may be tuned for resonance at a particular value of frequency for example, these elements may act as a filter for all frequencies except the triple or third harmonic frequency. The setting of the breaker may be controlled in response to other harmonics by providing additional filters. For example, a filter i3 comprising a series capacitor and inductance may be designed as a filter for all except the fifth harmonic, while another filter it may be designed to pass only the seventh, and still another filter i5 may be designed to pass only the eleventh harmonic, etc. In this manner, the setting of the tripping means for the circuit breaker may be made extremely sensitive to any desired number of harmonics while being relatively insensitive to changes in amplitude of the fundamental frequency wave.

Ifdesiredastop ilmaybeprovidedforlimiting the upward movement of the bimetallic lever II. In the modification shown in Pig. 3 circuit breaker I is arranged to be tripped by electromagnetic means instead of by thermally deformable means. As shown, the lower end 8 of the latch member for the breaker is arranged to be moved downwardly by means of a pivoted bellcrank member II which is engaged by a pivoted arm ll, having at one end thereof an armature II which is attracted by an electro-magnet II. If this magnet II is energised in accordance with the current taken by thecapacitor 2 the arrangement will act as a protective means for the capacitor 2. In order to change the setting of the arrangement showninFig.3inresponsetoharmonies the bimetallic lever II is arranged to move to the right or left in response to heating thereby varying the air gap between the armature II and magnet winding II and thereby changing the value of current through the winding which is required for the armature if to be attracted against the spring 2i and move to a position where it will trip the member I. The bimetallic member II is heated as in Fig.1 by the heating winding II which is energized through the capacitor l2.

Imtead of a bimetallic strip any other device can he used which is suitable to influence the setting of the circuit breaker.

While I have shown and described particular i embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein, and consequently I aim in the appended claimsvto" cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, an alternating current circuit having a potential of varying wave form, a capacitor, a circuit breaker for connecting said capacitor in shunt to said circuit, means responsive to the current in said capacitor for controlling the opening of said circuit breaker, and means responsive to harmonics in the potential of said circuit for varying the current setting of said circuit breaker.

2. In combination, an alternating current circuit having a potential of varying wave form. a

capacitor connected to said circuit, overload protective means for said capacitor, and means responsive to harmonics in said circuit for raising and lowering the current setting of said protective means depending upon whether the harmonies increase or decrease.

3. In combination, a capacitor, an alternating current power circuit, means for coupling said capacitor to said power circuit, said circuit being subject to producing sustained pronounced harmonic currents of its fundamental frequency dursaid power circuit during the existcnce of said harmonics insaid circuit in ordertoeliminate the interaction between said harmonics and'said capacitor.

4. In combination, an alternating current power circuit having a normal fundamental frequency and an occasional abnormal harmonic frequency, a static reactance element for improv ing a r'eactance characteristic of said power circuit at said normal fundamental frequency normally coupled to said circuit, means for changing the coupling between said element and said circuit without opening said circuit, means responsive to over-loading of said element at said normal fundamental frequency for operating said coupling changing means. and separate auxiliary means responsive to harmonics in said circuit for causing the operation of said coupling changing means.

5. An alternating current power circuit having a normal fundamental frequency and an occasional abnormal harmonic frequency, a capacitor for improving the reactive characteristics of said power circuit at said normal fundamental frequency normally coupled to said power circuit, means for changing the coupling between said capacitor and said circuit without opening said circuit, means responsive to over-loading of said capacitor at said normal fundamentalfrequency for operating said coupling changing means, and separate auxiliary means responsive to harmonics in said circuit for causing the operation of said coupling changing means.

8. In combination, an alternating current power circuit having a normal fundamental frequency and an occasional abnormal harmonic frequency, a capacitor for improving the reactive characteristics of said power circuit at said normal fundamental frequency normally coupled to said power circuit, means including a switch for changing the coupling between said capacitor and said circuit without opening said circuit, means responsive to over-loading of said capacitor at said normal fundamental frequency for operating said switch, and separate auxiliary means responsive to harmonics in said circuit for causing the operation of said switch.

'I. In combination, an alternating current power circuit having a normal frequency and an abnormal harmonic frequency current, a capacitor for improving the reactive characteristics of said circuit normally coupled thereto, means including a switch for changing the coupling between said capacitor and said circuit without interrupting said circuit, and means responsive to .said abnormal harmonic frequency current for 

